--Disease Characteristics-- Histologically confirmed solid tumor, including but not limited to: Rhabdomyosarcoma and other soft tissue sarcomas Ewing's family tumors Osteosarcoma Neuroblastoma Wilms' tumor Hepatic tumors Germ cell tumors Primary brain tumors Histological confirmation for brain stem gliomas may be waived Refractory to standard treatment and no curative therapy available Measurable or evaluable disease Evidence of progressive disease on prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy or persistent disease after prior surgery --Prior/Concurrent Therapy-- Biologic therapy: At least 1 week since prior colony-stimulating factors (e.g., filgrastim (G-CSF), sargramostim (GM-CSF), or epoetin alfa) At least 4 months since prior bone marrow transplantation No concurrent anticancer immunotherapy Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (4 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered Prior anthracyclines as adjuvant front-line therapy allowed provided: No relapse during therapy At least 6 months since last dose Cumulative dose is no greater than 400 mg/m2 for patients who received bolus administration without a concurrent cardioprotectant (e.g., dexrazoxane) or received cardiac irradiation and no greater than 450 mg/m2 for patients who received either continuous infusion or administration with a concurrent cardioprotectant and have not received cardiac irradiation No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Concurrent corticosteroids for brain tumor-associated edema allowed (must be on stable or decreasing dose for at least 1 week prior to study) Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered No more than 1,500 cGy of prior cardiac radiotherapy No prior extensive radiotherapy (e.g., craniospinal radiation, total body radiation, or radiation to more than half of the pelvis) No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No other concurrent anticancer investigational agents No other concurrent liposomal formulations of any drug (e.g., liposomal amphotericin B) --Patient Characteristics-- Age: 21 and under Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 2 months Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count greater than 1,500/mm3 Hemoglobin greater than 8 g/dL Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin normal SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal No significant hepatic dysfunction Renal: Creatinine normal OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: Cardiac ejection fraction at least 45% on MUGA (National Cancer Institute patients) OR Shortening fraction at least 28% on echocardiogram (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia patients) No significant or preexisting cardiac dysfunction (e.g., recurrent or persistent cardiac dysrhythmia or an ejection fraction below the lower limit of normal on MUGA or echocardiogram) Pulmonary: No significant pulmonary dysfunction Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No clinically significant unrelated systemic illness (e.g., serious infections or organ dysfunction) No allergy to doxorubicin or other anthracyclines, eggs, egg products, or other liposomal drug formulations